Official NASCAR Race Results
Joe Weatherly won the 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series Southeastern 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
10-22-1961 | Southeastern 500 | Bristol Motor Speedway
Table initially ordered on Finish Position. Click a column header to re-sort by that value.
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Sponsor | Pts | Laps | Led | Status | Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 8 | Joe Weatherly | Pontiac | Bud Moore | 0 | 500 | 82 | Running | 3,680 |
| 2 | 8 | 4 | Rex White | Chevrolet | White-Clements | 0 | 500 | 24 | Running | 2,365 |
| 3 | 18 | 29 | Nelson Stacy | Ford | Holt-Stacy | 0 | 500 | 0 | Running | 1,525 |
| 4 | 17 | 44 | Jim Paschal | Pontiac | Julian Petty | 0 | 498 | 0 | Running | 1,125 |
| 5 | 5 | 85 | Emanuel Zervakis | Chevrolet | Monroe Shook | 0 | 495 | 0 | Running | 950 |
| 6 | 16 | 1 | Ned Jarrett | Chevrolet | B.G. Holloway | 0 | 491 | 0 | Running | 825 |
| 7 | 13 | 54 | Jimmy Pardue | Chevrolet | Jimmy Pardue | 0 | 482 | 0 | Running | 725 |
| 8 | 12 | 59 | Ken Rush | Pontiac | B.G. Holloway | 0 | 481 | 0 | Running | 675 |
| 9 | 23 | 64 | Bill Morton | Chevrolet | Bill Morton | 0 | 481 | 0 | Running | 600 |
| 10 | 3 | 18 | Bob Welborn | Pontiac | Bud Moore | 0 | 480 | 0 | Running | 585 |
| 11 | 20 | 86 | Buck Baker | Chrysler | Buck Baker | 0 | 480 | 0 | Running | 450 |
| 12 | 14 | 48 | G.C. Spencer | Chevrolet | G.C. Spencer | 0 | 478 | 0 | Running | 400 |
| 13 | 30 | 74 | L.D. Austin | Chevrolet | L.D. Austin | 0 | 474 | 0 | Running | 325 |
| 14 | 9 | 19 | Herman Beam | Ford | Herman Beam | 0 | 471 | 0 | Running | 325 |
| 15 | 36 | 62 | Curtis Crider | Mercury | Curtis Crider | 0 | 460 | 0 | Running | 290 |
| 16 | 33 | 34 | Wendell Scott | Chevrolet | Wendell Scott | 0 | 459 | 0 | Running | 280 |
| 17 | 1 | 47 | Bobby Johns | Pontiac | Jack Smith | 0 | 457 | 49 | Running | 440 |
| 18 | 28 | 16 | Brownie King | T-Bird | -- | 0 | 442 | 0 | Running | 250 |
| 19 | 31 | 69 | Bill Latham | Chevrolet | -- | 0 | 440 | 0 | Running | 250 |
| 20 | 21 | 17 | Fred Harb | Ford | Fred Harb | 0 | 439 | 0 | Engine | 250 |
| 21 | 24 | 46 | Jack Smith | Pontiac | Jack Smith | 0 | 421 | 0 | Wheel | 240 |
| 22 | 26 | 30 | Tiny Lund | Chevrolet | Fred Clark | 0 | 414 | 0 | Rear end | 225 |
| 23 | 11 | 43 | Richard Petty | Plymouth | Petty Enterprises | 0 | 394 | 0 | Rear end | 246 |
| 24 | 7 | 27 | Junior Johnson | Pontiac | Holly Farms | 0 | 394 | 194 | Rear end | 495 |
| 25 | 15 | 14 | Joe Lee Johnson | Chevrolet | Joe Lee Johnson | 0 | 370 | 0 | Engine | 225 |
| 26 | 4 | 22 | Fireball Roberts | Pontiac | Holly Farms | 0 | 323 | 51 | Fuel pump | 310 |
| 27 | 19 | 32 | Bill Morgan | Ford | J.L. Cheatham | 0 | 237 | 0 | Rear end | 225 |
| 28 | 38 | 1 | George Green | Chevrolet | Jess Potter | 0 | 197 | 0 | Engine | 200 |
| 29 | 25 | 96 | Johnny Allen | Chevrolet | J.L. Cheatham | 0 | 169 | 0 | Rear end | 200 |
| 30 | 10 | 9 | Bunkie Blackburn | Ford | Wildcat Williams | 0 | 164 | 0 | Engine | 225 |
| 31 | 0 | 20 | Paul Lewis | Chevrolet | -- | 0 | 149 | 0 | Crash | 200 |
| 32 | 0 | 36 | Larry Thomas | Chevrolet | Wade Younts | 0 | 120 | 0 | Crankshaft | 200 |
| 33 | 0 | 25 | Gene Blackburn | Dodge | -- | 0 | 117 | 0 | Axle | 100 |
| 34 | 0 | 39 | Friday Hassler | Chevrolet | -- | 0 | 115 | 0 | Rear end | 100 |
| 35 | 0 | 77 | Joe Jones | Ford | Joe Jones | 0 | 111 | 0 | Rear end | 100 |
| 36 | 0 | 23 | Doug Yates | Plymouth | Raeford Johnson | 0 | 35 | 0 | Fan belt | 100 |
| 37 | 0 | 2 | Tommy Irwin | Chevrolet | Tom Daniels | 0 | 19 | 0 | Crash | 125 |
| 38 | 0 | 88 | Allen Franklin | Nash | -- | 0 | 3 | 0 | Too slow | 100 |
Race Recap
- Date: 10-22-1961
- Track: Bristol Motor Speedway
- Race: Southeastern 500
- Race #: 50
- Cars: 38
- Winner: Joe Weatherly
- Start Position: 2nd
- Car Make: 1961 Pontiac
- Avg Speed: 72.452 mph
- Distance: 250 miles
- Purse: $19,931
- Cautions: 3
- Caution Laps: 0
- Lead Changes: 6
- Pole: 80.645 mph
